


not always what it seems

by SerpentineJ



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, and bffs karen and mike, aro-ace karen, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-09 09:59:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4344122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerpentineJ/pseuds/SerpentineJ
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mrs. Karen Hanson explains her husband’s situation. Henry understands and reevaluates his options.</p><p>Or: In which Hanson has an interesting home dynamic and Henry is cleared to pursue him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	not always what it seems

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: So I think this is the first Morson fic on this site. yeayeayeah (even though it's super late oh god)

“Doctor Morgan.” Mrs. Hanson outstretches her hand for a shake, and chuckles when Henry takes it and bows. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you: Mike’s told me a lot.”

Mike waves a hand. “All good things, Doc.”

Karen grins, and Henry can see why the detective married her: she is alive, curly brown hair and white teeth, bright smile, the bright gold glimmers glinting off her jewelry no match for the brilliance of her laugh.

“Mostly good things.” She swirls the drink in her hand; strong, some kind of rum, with a dash of fruit. “Is it true that you go skinny-dipping in the East River on a regular basis?”

“It’s a medical condition.” He parries, his usual charming smirk unfaltering. “And I’ll bet I have some embarrassing stories about your husband you haven’t heard before.”

Hanson puts a hand to his chest- he must have had a few drinks, he’s being overly dramatic- and says, as though affronted, “You wouldn’t dare.”

Henry grins. “Oh, I would.”

~~~~~~

As the party peters down (and Henry can’t really remember what it was for: some office jockey’s promotion? a birthday?) and the people begin to filter out, bidding each other goodbye, slightly slurring their words and stumbling, Mrs. Hanson corners Henry in the coat closet.

“Doctor Morgan?” She cocks her head. “There’s something you should know.”

Henry pauses in removing his wool overcoat from its wooden hangar. “And what is that?”

Karen smiles.

“Mike and I aren’t really married.”

The ME is slightly taken aback, eyes wide. “What?”

She giggles (and she must be at least a little intoxicated, he thinks, because she’s had at least three glasses of that rum) and pokes him in the chest. “It’s a marriage of convenience.”

Henry frowns. Looks down, cocks his head like he does when he’s perplexed. “But you have children.”

“I’ve always wanted kids.” Karen sighs, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “But I’m aromantic.”

Morgan blinks, mouth opening in an “o” shape of surprise.

“Ah.” He says, eloquent as always in the face of two cognacs, a glass of wine, a sugary, pineapple-flavored concoction forced on him by an inebriated Lucas, and this new information. “Aromanticism: a person who does not experience romantic attraction. Interesting.”

“Mike has been my best friend since grade school.” She says. “I wanted kids but not a romantic partner, and I couldn’t adopt on my own, because of my… financial situation.”

“Situation?”

Karen nods. “I went to a New York art school. Graduated as one of the top of my class, but massively in debt and jobless, as many artists are.”

Henry snaps his fingers. “And the detective, saint that he is, recommended a marriage of convenience.”

“He was resigned to never being married.” She sighs. “And getting hitched, especially to a law enforcement official, has a lot of benefits, financially.” Tugs at an auburn curl. “And I do love him- he’s like my brother, so we got married, adopted two kids, and no-one knows that we’re not romantically together.”

A chuckle escapes her lips. “And those kids are the light of his life.”

“Sorry, but why are you telling me this?” Morgan questions after a pause, fighting off the haze from the alcohol and the slight dizzying effects of the small, dark space. “It all seems… slightly off-topic.”

“Oh, I think it’s completely on topic.” Karen grins and snags her long coat. “The topic of your giant crush on my husband.”

Henry backs up a step instinctively, but his back meets a wall.

“I… am sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He deflects.

“Please.” She tugs on her jacket, one sleeve at a time, and leans over to peck him on the cheek. “Just giving you my blessing, Doctor Henry Morgan.”

With that, Mrs. Hanson departs, swaying a little, leaving Henry completely stumped, digesting all the new information.

Fascinating, he thinks.

Very interesting.

“Hey, Doc?” Lucas pokes his head in the door. “Can you grab my coat for me?”

~~~~~~

After that, everything seems to make a bit more sense.

It had always confused him a bit: Detective Hanson is a good man, honest and loving of his family, if a bit insensitive on the job, so Henry had dismissed the touches and the joking and the long glances as friendly interest in the eccentric colleague, but the information afforded to him by Mrs. Hanson changes everything.

Apparently Michael Hanson is… romantically available.

He can’t quite stop the devious smirk that works its way up his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> NOTE: TO BE CONTINUED? I’m honestly struggling with the “henry actually approaches hanson” scene so I figured I’d post what I actually have instead of holding out and saying “it’s almost done I swear” some more wo any proof ;-; (you guys are too patient and nice [come kick me in the ask](http://serpentinej.tumblr.com))


End file.
